A Lost Cause
by 2018pastnpresent
Summary: At odds over their shared feelings for Ruby, events lead Dorothy and Whale into becoming unexpected allies when Ruby is taken to another realm. A realm inhospitable due to tragedy, rebellion, and a kingdom on edge. However, never one to play damsel-in-distress, Ruby plans on taking matters into her own hands.
1. Chapter 1

I do no own _Once Upon a Time_ characters, plot, or anything associated with it.

I apologize for any mistakes and timeline confusion. Clarification: This takes place sometime after _Ruby Slippers_. There are some time shifts.

Dr. Whale sat in a booth at Granny's Diner sipping coffee. It was going to be a long day at the hospital, and granny's coffee packed a caffeinated punch. He looked at the black liquid and realized he hadn't been to Granny's in a while. He was contemplating all the work he was doing at the hospital when Snow rushed in with her baby.

"Snow? What are you doing here? Didn't you go to the Underworld?" Granny asked in disbelief, hugging Snow.

"I was there, but I ended up in Oz with Ruby and Mulan…"Snow quickly explained before Granny interrupted her.

"Ruby! My Ruby?" Granny cried out.

"Yes, yes! And I have so much to tell you!" Snow answered excitedly, "She wanted me to explain before she and Dorothy arrived."

On hearing Ruby was coming, Granny started pacing around in excitement. She had so much to do before Ruby and Dorothy arrived. Meals to cook, a day or two off from work, the inn needed a good cleaning…"Who's Dorothy?" Granny suddenly asked.

Snow grinned shyly, then proudly. "Dorothy is Ruby's girlfriend," Snow beamed.

"Ruby's seeing someone?" Granny happily asked without missing a beat.

"She's nice and…" Snow's voice faded away as she and Granny went to the office.

Dr. Whale sat processing what he had overheard. He found himself oddly hurt by it. He had developed a soft spot for the beautiful Ruby. He had learned from observing and interacting with her that she was more than a beautiful face though. She was loyal, intelligent, strong, lively, warm, on and on…he hadn't let his mind think of her like that since he found out she had left Storybrooke.

One day, for no reason at all, Whale realized he hadn't seen Ruby around town. While writing a prescription for Grumpy, he causally asked about Ruby's absence. Grumpy eyed him suspiously but told him Ruby had gone back to the Enchanted Forest to look for her pack. Whale then made an inappropriate comment about missing Red's hot pants in an attempt to foil any suspicions Grumpy had about his questioning. "Yeah, those were the days," Grumpy winked in agreement.

Dr. Whale thought about Ruby's mysterious departure. When it was all said and done, he was upset by it. Their moments had been few and far between, and some of those moments involved him being inappropriate and sleazy. However, it was the moment when she rescued him from himself that made him see her in a whole new way. She helped give him back his humanity.

Old habits die hard, and he was both Dr. Whale and Victor Frankenstein. The inappropriate, cocky doctor was still there, but Victor was slowly resurfacing over time. Former personality replacement seemed to take longer with him than with others in town. Grumpy was his old self in no time. The bleak memories of Victor's life started overwhelming carefree Whale.

To hide and ignore the pain, Victor pretended to still be fully Dr. Whale; self-assured prick. His Storybrooke self may have been less than honorable, but Whale was too egotistical to feel much pain. Whale's selfishness was a good defense mechanism.

Then, it all became too much and snowballed out of control until he wanted to quiet the world. The alcohol no longer worked, his busy schedule didn't stop him from remembering his former life, and he had alienated himself from the town with his behavior.

He'd never forget the relief of being caught from his jump. Someone cared, and for the first time in a long time, he wasn't alone. When he finally looked at Ruby, she embraced him in a hug. She gently touched his face to wipe away a tear. Her big, expressive eyes were soft and warm looking. He poured out his soul, letting everything out he had been holding inside. She listened quietly before telling him about her own struggles.

She also encouraged him to redeem himself by saving a man's life. Granted, it turned out the man didn't have good intentions, but he still was a human. Besides, the man's issues were with Regina after she had taken the man's father. Ruby didn't have foresight, but she saw someone in need. To Victor, it said something about her character.

Their conversation gave him the courage to save the stranger. He walked into the waiting room after the man's surgery to deliver the news. He smiled when he saw her face light up with her huge smile. Her faith in him had given him a newfound strength.

Afterwards, she came to his office to check on him. He reassured her he was fine and thanked her for everything. As she squeezed his arm, Dr. Whale desperately wanted to slip his arms around her waist and kiss her. He didn't want to ruin the moment or scare her though. His desire did involve lust but also thankfulness and wanting to further their connection.

He soon developed a strong crush on her. He wanted to ask her out, but after much contemplating, thought the best course of action was to develop an acquaintance with her first. His past behavior may turn her off to the possibility of a relationship with him. After all, he was the cursed town's true harlot. Her cursed self may have looked the part, but he suspected she hadn't done as much as the town thought she did.

He started going to Granny's Diner more. Not too much though, or it would be too obvious why he was there. He observed her with the customers and with her friends. She was friendly and welcoming to everyone. She included him in this warmth and would sit and talk with him if business was slow. These observations and brief interactions brightened his days. He became almost too scared to ruin these images of her.

He wasn't worried Ruby would disappoint him, but he worried he wouldn't fit into her world. He almost revered her at this point. He wasn't use to feeling this way about women. The only woman he had been close to was one from his world. Elizabeth had the patience of a saint, but she eventually got tired of waiting and being second to his work. He had neglected her due to his obsession with his work.

Looking back, Dr. Whale realized he had repeated the pattern, except Ruby was unaware of it. Work at the hospital soon took over his life, so he was unable to further his acquaintance with Ruby. Series of events left the town in almost constant peril. Destruction and injuries brought in an abundance of patients with varying needs.

He also felt the need to constantly be on watch at the hospital after two babies were snatched immediately after he delivered him. This world was crazier than his original one.

The bright spot to all of this were Ruby's visits. She would bring treats to the staff and volunteer when she could. On rare occasions, she stopped to briefly chat with him. He savored those moments. These visits also spoke volumes about her character. Although unable to interact with Ruby, her presence soothed him. It made his affections for her grow.

Her visits became less frequent before stopping all together. In true Victor fashion, he was too busy working to notice at first. He noticed eventually, and he felt a sort of gaping hole in his life. He worried about her but didn't ask questions. To hide the worry and hurt, he resorted back to Dr. Whale's murky personality. It was his tried and true defense mechanism.

After finally asking Grumpy about her, he wanted, no, needed to know more. He figured asking sweet Belle was his safest bet. Belle had a friendly, open personality similar to Ruby's, so she readily supplied him with information.

Belle had asked Snow about Ruby and found out Ruby was feeling lonely and out of place in Storybrooke. Belle lamented Ruby's absence. Belle had been busy dealing with Rumple and other things that she hadn't paid attention to her friend. Now, she understood how Ruby felt.

Dr. Whale offered encouraging words to Belle. There was a lot of loneliness and isolation in this town. He had a feeling many others felt the same way. "This town has a problem with communicating and connecting," Whale thought as he left the library. If only he had known Ruby's struggles, then he could have given her comfort as she had given him.

He regretted not trying to connect with her more. He should have asked her on a date or let her know how he felt about her. He held onto hope though. Hope that she wouldn't find her pack, so she would return to Storybrooke. Hope that there had indeed been a connection, and when she returned, they would finally date.

He knew it was extremely selfish. It was more than about Ruby though. It was what she represented to him; hope, loyalty, acceptance, etc. She also made him want to be a better person. She showed him there was good in his bleak, drab world. She was the Red to his grey.

As Dr. Whale sat in the booth at Granny's, he felt a new sense of loss. He didn't seize the moment, and now she was with someone else. He felt pathetic for getting so caught up in someone. For essentially being involved in a one sided, imaginary relationship.

After paying his bill, he made a pass at the waitress, who declined the invitation. It was his comfort zone, even if it wasn't where he wanted to be. Sometimes it was better to let people see a monster than the scared, helpless man operating it. It seemed every time he cared for someone, he lost them in some capacity.

Note: I know Belle is out of place in the story, but she needs some recognition. Ruby seemed to be her only friend in Storybrooke, and I wanted to acknowledge it.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

I do not own _Once Upon a Time,_ any of its characters, the graphic novel, or anything else relating to the series.

 **Spoilers:** I mention a plot point involving Graham from the OUAT graphic novel, _Shadow_ _of the Queen_.

Granny's diner bustled with customers. Despite the chaos and constant threat caused by Hyde, there was a rare moment of peace. The day was clear with a hint of fall crispness in the air. Residents bravely took advantage of the beautiful, peaceful moment.

Due to perfect timing or coincidence, the three women arrived on that particular day. Townspeople stopped and stared as the three made their way down the main street. Ruby walked in between Dorothy and Mulan, guiding them as they looked everywhere but straight ahead.

Granny looked up to see her granddaughter walk in wearing a sheepish grin. Her long brown hair hung over her shoulders, and she wore a simple, dark red dress. A statuesque woman in a tailored, blue dress stood on one side of Ruby, while an Asian woman in black jeans, white t-shirt, and a black vest stood on the other side.

"Ruby!" Granny cried out in joy.

"Granny, I can't breathe," Ruby gasped. Granny pulled back to get a look at her granddaughter. She noticed Ruby was wearing silver slippers.

"I'm surprised you haven't dyed them red yet," Granny teased. Ruby introduced Dorothy and Mulan to Granny and to others who came up to say hello.

"Miss Popular," Dorothy joked, affectionately squeezing Ruby's arm. Granny ushered them to a booth and started sending out a steady stream of food. Mulan piled various items onto a plate. Snow came into the diner. She heard Ruby had arrived in tow with the two women.

After hugs and hellos were said, Snow joined them for breakfast. She caught them up on events in town, particularly concerning Jekyll and Hyde. "We are going to have a meeting soon in a discrete location. I will let you know when and where the day of it. Also the password," Snow whispered.

"Sounds exciting!" Mulan said.

"No, you ladies relax and don't go getting into trouble. You've barely been here an hour," Granny interrupted.

"Granny, it's what we do. We help people when we can," Ruby told her.

"Well, I don't want to know how many times you were in harm's way," Granny responded.

"We'll try to stay out of trouble. We don't want to worry you or intrude on Emma's plans," Dorothy reassured Granny and gave her girlfriend and Mulan a look. Ruby and Mulan were logical and intelligent, but sometimes their zeal for adventure and justice got the best of them. During those zealous times, Dorothy was the voice of reason.

"I won't go looking for trouble, but I'll make no promises," Mulan said, her eyes sparkling.

After visiting with Granny, the three walked around town sightseeing, visiting, and meeting people. Snow had left to find Charming and baby Neal. Archie and Pongo were happy to see Ruby as were the dwarves and Marco. Even Hook, Emma, and Regina stopped by to say hello and officially meet the woman they had a hand in saving. Ruby and Dorothy were both glad Zelena wasn't there.

Mulan and Ruby were sadden to hear about Belle's current state and hoped to see her again soon. They wanted Dorothy to meet her.

Four hours later, they were back at Granny's diner drinking ice tea. Granny asked them if they would go to the hospital for her. She wanted to deliver some treats and lasagna to the hospital staff.

"Whale! I forgot to see him today!" Ruby exclaimed.

They had been able to walk around town but now needed a vehicle. Ruby ripped the cover off her classic, red car. She leaned over and hugged it. Dorothy and Mulan laughed at her. Their amusement soon disappeared when they realized Ruby's driving was rusty, although her need for speed hadn't diminished.

At the hospital, Dr. Whale rested his head into his folded arms. Victor was starting to get annoyed at the "heroes." They were constantly rescuing people partly because they helped create the problems. "Didn't the heroes ever get tired, or regret constantly putting people in peril?" Whale often asked himself. He wanted to go to another town, but one similar to Storybrooke. The problem was he didn't have his actual medical license, at least not from this world.

In fact, most of the staff didn't either. Dr. Whale was one of the most qualified people at the hospital, so he had to be involved in almost every field. It was tiring…and lonely.

"Need a vacation?" a familiar voice asked him. Whale recognized her voice and whipped around in his chair. Ruby was leaning in the doorway smirking at him. There was concern in her eyes though. Without hesitation, Whale jumped up and wrapped her in a firm hug. She was taken back but returned the hug.

When Whale opened his eyes, he saw two attractive women standing to the side with raised eyebrows. One was tall with distinct, handsome features. The Asian woman looked more delicate, but there was something tough looking about her. He figured one was Dorothy. He broke the hug and walked over to introduce himself.

"I'm Dr. Whale. Well, here I am. I'm also known as Victor Frankenstein," he said shaking their hands.

"Dr. Frankenstein?" Dorothy asked in disbelief. "I didn't expect you to be so handsome. I thought you'd be ugly," she said.

She then quickly apologized, "I'm sorry. I can be very blunt. It doesn't endear me to people. Just ask Wolfie, er, Red." She started blushing from embarrassment. Whale was amused.

"I'm a huge fan of the story. I…" Dorothy hesitated, unsure if she would offend him. Victor was knew where she was going and why she hesitated.

"I always related to your creation. I sympathized with him," Dorothy finished. Whale nodded knowingly; "It is the common consensus I'm the real monster."

"We know our stories and the reality of them often vary. Mine is a good example," Ruby interceded seeing both her girlfriend and Whale struggling. Dorothy eagerly agreed.

Whale briefly explained it was his brother and Regina's boyfriend, Daniel, he temporarily brought back from the dead. His brother had been a desperate attempt to bring back his beloved sibling, but it was bringing back Daniel as a way to manipulate Regina that made him the monster.

To banish the growing awkwardness, he asked them to have coffee and treats with him. He wanted to hear what they had been up to in Oz and elsewhere. He wanted to know more about the woman who had taken his object of affection.

Whale went home disheartened. The problem was he that he wanted Dorothy to be a horrible person. Dorothy may have been awkward, but it seemed she was socially awkward from being defensive most of her life. Fighting to protect herself. He sympathized with her in that regard. He also found her nice, in a gruff way. She seemed to genuinely care about Ruby too, which was the most important thing.

Dorothy was too nauseous from Red's driving to ask questions, but she was curious about Whale's interest in Ruby. Whale's expression on seeing Red was one of overwhelming joy mixed with desperation. His expression was different from everyone else's on seeing Red again, even Granny's.

Once they were at Granny's inn, Dorothy was able to ask Ruby about it. Ruby wasn't sure what his expression meant or what his feelings for her were. Red explained his cursed persona, how she had rescued him, and how they became friendly acquaintances. Ruby admitted she was interested in him and thought he returned the interest. However, events happened seemingly one after another, and he was consumed with work. She understood the work part. The part she struggled with was telling him she was interested in him romantically.

Red was scared to tell him because she kept loosing people she cared for, particularly men. He was the first person in their new world she was strongly interested in outside of her cursed persona. Gus' death had traumatized her though. The painful memories of Peter and Graham still lingered too.

She never told anyone, except Dorothy, about Graham. Snow had known but never mentioned it. She and Snow had encountered Graham in the Enchanted Forest when he was under the Evil Queen's control. She and Graham developed feelings for each other during their short interactions in the forest. They had been kindred spirits.

When their memories returned, Graham was never mentioned, not even by Emma. Ruby didn't want to cause trouble, so she suffered in silence. She secretly visited his grave from time to time. Graham was a large part of the reason she struggled with trusting Regina.

Red's green eyes brimmed with tears and she apologized to Dorothy for getting emotional. Dorothy understood and pulled her into a tight hug. "Yet, you're still one of the most caring women I know despite your losses," Dorothy whispered into her ear.

Red never mentioned Whale because she kind of forgot about him after meeting Dorothy. Ruby felt guilty for forgetting about him, especially because she noted the way he gave her a crushing hug today. She hadn't meant to leave him with unresolved feelings for her. It had been an oversight on her part.

While Red showered, Dorothy and Mulan sat on the porch enjoying the cool night air. The cold tinge made it perfect for drinking cinnamon hot chocolate. Mulan sensed Dorothy wanted to say something but kept hesitating. After some prodding, Dorothy confessed she was worried Ruby would be interested in Whale again. Mulan thought it was random for Red to suddenly want Whale just because she was back in town. On further questioning, Mulan understood what Dorothy was worried about.

"Ruby is bisexual, but that doesn't mean she will want a person from each sex to date at the same time. Yes, there are poly amorous relationships, but Ruby is monogamous. And she chose you to be in a monogamous relationship with," Mulan assured Dorothy.

Mulan continued, "Red is a vibrant, beautiful woman. Don't let your insecurities become controlling jealously. Don't stifle her because you're scared of her sexuality."

Dorothy processed Mulan's words. "Thank you for being a great friend to us," Dorothy told Mulan. "I hope someday you have one of the happiest endings."

"Me too," Mulan said, swallowing hard.

Granny came out to join them. She had whipped up some scones to go with their hot chocolate.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

I do not own _Once Upon a Time_ or its characters. I also do not own any of the other characters I reference.

The meeting Snow told them about had been one of uncertainty and suspense. The meeting turned out to be pointless as nothing had happened to the townspeople. It turned out Hyde wasn't the issue. The townspeople couldn't identify the actual threat, but the problems were mostly between the "main heroes and villains." Grumpy used finger quotes when he described the situation. The Evil Queen snarled and sneered over Snow White and her family. Rumple and Zelena had gotten involved, but for the most part the townspeople were left alone. Business as usual.

"Better safe than sorry," Granny said to Grumpy. Dr. Whale chuckled. He became serious as he worried about what could be coming their way though. Things weren't completely normal. Literary characters seemed to be randomly popping up and then disappearing. Technically, everyone in the town could be classified as literary characters. However, new people were showing up and worlds seemed to be colliding. No one was able to explain it. They chalked it up to Mr. Jekyll and Dr. Hyde. Land of Untold Stories…blah, blah, blah.

Whale didn't appreciate Regina walking up to him one morning and demanding he tell her about Dr. Hyde and company. He shook his head at her audacity. As if every doctor knew each other! The two men faded away seemingly as fast as they arrived though. However, literary characters kept appearing to the townspeople's confusion. All of this confusion led to Ruby, Mulan, and Dorothy staying in town.

They wanted to help monitor the town and make sure nothing too bizarre happened. With Belle dealing with Rumple, the trio had to constantly run to the library to see what stories and worlds these newcomers were from. Being from a world with little to no technology, they didn't trust the internet. Too many conflicting facts and reports. Belle managed the library well enough to believe the stories in there were the correct ones.

Ruby also wanted to be on standby in case Snow or Belle needed help. Dr. Whale was grateful to have her company in some form. He liked knowing she was nearby and felt safer with her here. She volunteered one morning at the hospital with Mulan, while Granny trapped Dorothy into serving tables. Granny wanted to get to know Dorothy better. Whale felt a smidgen of satisfaction at having only Ruby at the hospital. Well, Mulan too, but he sent her to work in another part of the hospital.

As Dr. Whale and Ruby moved a patient in a cast from a chair to a wheelchair, five women came frantically rushing into the hospital. They were wearing long, old fashioned dresses. Two of them held one around her waist as she hobbled on one foot. The other two reminded Whale and Ruby of chickens running around and squawking.

"Don't just stand there! My sister has injured herself!" the youngest one cried out in a proper English accent.

After it was quickly determined she was in no real danger, Whale had them sit the injured young woman in a chair. He would get them paper work to fill out and prepare her for x-rays and a possible cast.

"What are you talking about? I don't even know where we are? Is this even a hospital?" the youngest one asked in a shrill voice.

"Kitty, please calm down. Lydia only hurt her ankle," the pretty blond one said.

"She's so much like mother," the one in glasses muttered to the darkest haired one with lovely eyes.

The dark haired one stood up and in a calm, confident manner explained what happened; "I'm Elizabeth Darcy. These are my sisters. The hurt one is Lydia Bennett. We woke up in the woods, although we went to sleep in different locations-different towns! Trying to figure out where were, we followed this strange road. Then, this horseless, metal carriage honked at us from behind, scaring poor Lydia into falling over sideways. She twisted her ankle as she fell."

Ruby told Whale to get the medical aspects taken care of while she explained everything to the Bennet sisters. She had secretly read some novels by Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. Secretly because cursed Ruby was not about to admit she read any form of literature. When Whale came back, he noticed Ruby was grinning from ear to ear. Their eyes met and he saw joy in them. Someone was a fan of these women.

"Ruby, you are a natural nurse," he told her after she had helped wrap Lydia's sprained ankle. Ruby blushed and thanked him. Part of the reason she volunteered was to talk to him. She wanted to help him resolve or get closure on any feelings he had for her. She knew he did because Dorothy commented on his longing stares directed towards her. At the meeting, at the dinner, in passing-the same wounded, longing side looks.

Ruby didn't want him hurting. She wanted to acknowledge any feelings he had towards her and the pain she may have caused. She had helped him before and didn't want to abandon him. Instead of talking to him, she took the Bennet sisters to Granny's Inn. They were rightfully overwhelmed and confused. Jane and Elizabeth missed their husbands, but Ruby noticed Kitty looking suggestively at Whale despite being married to Wickham.

Once the sisters were settled into their rooms, Ruby found Dorothy relaxing on the porch. Her feet were soaking in a large bowl of warm water. Ruby kissed her and asked about her day. She began massaging Dorothy's shoulders, enjoying listening to Dorothy talk about her day at the dinner. It recalled a lot of memories for Ruby. Granny ran a tight ship.

Dr. Whale drove up to the inn. Mulan was enjoying her day with the geriatric patients and wanted to stay, so Whale offered to drive her back to the inn. Ruby hurriedly mentioned she didn't get a chance to talk to Whale yet. Dorothy shot her a look. Whale felt obligated to get out of his car and say hello. Dorothy had caught him looking at Ruby so many times she now glared at him when he looked their way. Mulan cringed at the awkwardness, which was soon broken by Kitty shouting out the upstairs' window.

"You are a wonderful doctor! Lydia is already almost healed," Kitty cooed. Ruby was sure her sisters were rolling their eyes. Dr. Whale waved at her before quickly leaving. Ruby promised Dorothy she would talk to Whale soon. For all her gruffness, Dorothy did feel bad for him. As she went to her room, Mulan gently reminded Dorothy to trust Ruby.

The Bennet sisters borrowed the others women's clothes. Kitty and Lydia liked Ruby's style, Elizabeth borrowed Mulan's clothes, Jane preferred Dorothy's style, and Mary wore Granny's dresses with belts cinched around the waist. Their air and mannerisms gave them away as strangers though. The sisters explored the city, but mostly stayed at the inn. They cooked and cleaned for the other guests. In her conversations, Kitty brought up Victor quite frequently. Lydia spoke highly of him too but in a more subdued way. Mary boldly reminded Kitty she was married, and they hopefully wouldn't be here for much longer.

Ruby unexpectedly showed up at the hospital with some of Granny's lasagna. When everyone had gotten their food, Ruby asked Victor if they could talk in his office. He had a feeling he knew what she wanted to talk about.

"I know this is awkward, but I think we left some things unsaid. I want you to know I had feelings for you before I left Storybrooke," she told him once they were in his office. She wanted to lay her own feelings out there in hopes he would bare his soul too. She didn't want to put him on the spot and demand he share his feelings. He was silent for several seconds, deep in thought.

"I did and still do have feelings for you. As silly as it sounds, I built it up in my head. It was hard to learn you were in a relationship. It was hard enough when you mysteriously left," he admitted.

"I'm sorry, Victor. I suspected you liked me but wasn't sure. You started working a lot, and I didn't want to make assumptions," she said, before adding, "I know what it's like to build something up in your head only to have it not become reality. Graham, Peter, my mother, work, and the list continues."

"Graham?" Whale asked. Ruby said she'd tell him another time. Right now, she wanted to focus on them.

"Have you always liked women too?" he asked her. It wasn't said in an accusatory way but more out of curiosity. Dorothy was different than her previous lovers. Ruby explained her cursed persona flirted with everyone but liked men. The real her was drawn to people's personalities regardless of their sex or gender. It happened to be they were mostly men, but she had liked women too.

"When I was sixteen, I admired the most popular girl in my village. I thought she was confident, beautiful, and smart. I used to fantasize about running my fingers through her blond curls and kissing her. I didn't feel guilty about it per say, but I didn't see anyone else in my area liking the same sex. So I kept it to myself. Meanwhile, I realized how pure of a soul Peter was and grew attracted to him. As my attraction for him grew, my crush on the girl faded. I found the same pure spirit in Graham and Snow but was only romantically attracted to Graham. Snow was immediately like a sister to me. I did have a crush on Belle. I wasn't about to interfere in her relationship with Rumple though. I recognized it only as a crush, which morphed into genuine friendship. Then, there was an attraction to Gus and to you. Finally, I went in search of my pack to ease the loneliness and isolation I felt in Storybrooke. I came across Dorothy and had the same feelings and thoughts I had for Peter and Graham," she explained to Victor.

"I'm honored to have been liked by a woman as good as you, Ruby. I've done questionable things in both worlds, but you looked beyond those flaws and saw the real me. The real me I can't even see," he told her.

"You've come a long way from your persona. You've managed to look beyond my looks and see the real me too. I'm sorry I hurt you."

"I can take comfort in knowing I had your affection."

Neither one was sure if they were to hug or not. Ruby finally flung herself into his arms. He hugged her back tightly, fighting the urge to kiss her. He realized now it was final. She was going to stay with Dorothy. This was his closure, so he was going to have to continue the grieving and detachment process.

A week passed and Ruby couldn't stop thinking about Whale. She knew how hard loneliness could be, especially when others around you had someone else. She fought the urge for a few days before finally deciding she was going to do it. She waylaid Dorothy and Mulan with her idea at breakfast one morning.

"I've decided to play matchmaker with Dr. Whale and Lydia!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Really, Ruby?" Mulan asked incredulously.

Dorothy laughed, "Ruby, as badass as you are, you are a hopeless romantic. I like that you're girly."

"Don't encourage her," Mulan said to Dorothy.

Ruby's mind was made up though. She decided the best course of action was to talk to Dr. Whale first, then discuss it with the Bennet sisters. She figured all them would be involved in this. Whale was skeptical, and Ruby told him she'd back off if she was overstepping any boundaries. The more he thought about it, the more he thought it was actually a good idea. He could get back into dating in a safe way. A fresh face who didn't know much about him. "Sounds creepy on second thought," Victor thought to himself. The nun fairies kept turning him down, so he stopped asking them. This might be good for him, so he agreed to a date with Lydia.

Lydia was excited as expected. Kitty was visibly disappointed. "Someone needs to chaperone her. She can't go alone…" Kitty exclaimed before Mary pointed out Kitty's hypocrisy. Dorothy liked Mary and Elizabeth. Mary was brazen, and Lizzy was witty. Ruby put make-up on Lydia and swept her hair up in a loose bun. Lydia looked like a marble bust come to life. Before leaving, Jane pulled Lydia aside and whispered something into her ear. Dating was new concept for them, and they were all worried about Lydia's virtue.

Victor picked her up at the inn. Not wanting to embarrass her, the other women hid in various parts of the inn and snuck glances outside the windows. Dorothy wondered if this was how it felt to be a "normal" teenager. Victor was surprised out how young and innocent he felt. Lydia was a few years younger and from a time before his own, so he needed to remember his manners.

They spent the evening talking about their worlds. Lydia reminded him of Elizabeth from his world. She talked and laughed readily, yet was shy and gentle. She explained a woman named Jane Austen had suddenly shown up at their house one day and lived with them for several months. "She disappeared one day. Now, I've learned she wrote about our lives. Ruby gave us the book. Elizabeth wants to bring it back with us. Mary always suspected Ms. Austen was a traveler of sort, but we ignore Mary half the time," Lydia giggled. As the date continued, Victor wasn't exactly sure how he felt about Lydia. His emotions were fogged by the adrenaline of being on a date and couldn't make a clear judgment call.

Ruby was on the porch when Victor dropped Lydia off after their date. "How did it go?" asked him.

"It went well. Lydia is a very nice woman. I'm showing her the library tomorrow after work," he smiled. Ruby was glad to him happy.

"Well, I better go. Goodnight, Ruby," he told her, still yearning for her.

Ruby hadn't seen the Bennet sisters all morning. She wanted to help Lydia get ready for her next date with Victor. She knocked on their door figuring they stayed up chatting about Lydia's date. Not hearing any noise, she had a hunch to turn the doorknob. The door opened and revealed an empty room. She went to the other room they occupied and found it empty as well. On the bed she found a note:

 _We sense we will be leaving tonight and returning home. We did not want to wake anyone, but thank you for all you have done for us. It was so nice meeting you all and seeing your world. Lydia asks for someone to tell Dr. Whale she so enjoyed meeting him._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Elizabeth_

Victor read the letter a few times processing its implications. Once again, he had reached a dead end. Maybe it wasn't so much about Lydia as what she represented. Possible hope only to be lost again.

"Come on, let's get some coffee," Dorothy said, grabbing his arm. She wasn't heartless and could see he was disappointed.

He felt slightly better being included by Dorothy. Mulan asked Ruby if she was done matchmaking. Ruby smiled and with a wink at Mulan said, "I'm done with Whale, but there are others." Mulan's eyes widened in worry.

As they were sipping their coffee, an African-American man came into the diner. The group noticed he was wearing old, almost tattered clothes. He towered over the customers who were standing. The man looked at every customer, uncertain who he could talk to. Granny eyed him over her glasses. He looked nervous. Must be a new literary figure.

"Sir, I'm the diner's owner," Granny said in his direction. She beckoned him over to her.

"M'am, I don't know where I am. I'm lookin' for ah boy. I was with him on a raft, but I woke up in the woods," he explained in a slight southern drawl.

"What's his name?" Granny asked, worried for the child.

"Huckleberry Finn, m'am. Mah name's Jim," the man answered.

The group knew what to do. They needed to explain to Jim where he was, take him to the library to look for his story, and find this Huckleberry Finn.

"What kind of a name is Huckleberry?" Mulan asked confused.

(Note: Thank you for the reviews. I have a plot outline for this story. I hope you enjoy the twists and turns. Also, I was trying to capture the dialogue used by the characters in _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_ ; trying to remain true to the characters.)


	4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4

I do own _Once Upon a Time_ or any of its characters. I do not own any of the other characters I reference from other stories.

A woman's eyes fluttered awake. She sat up groggily surveying her surroundings. Grogginess gave way to fright, then wonder. She looked up at the sky and at the trees with the wonderment of a child realizing the grandness of the world. The sky was bright and clear with a stray puffy cloud here and there. A soft, warm breeze swayed the deep green leaves on the tree tops. The green of the forest blended into the brown earth.

She touched the white linen nightdress she was wearing before looking at her pale hand. Her eyes caught sight of her long hair and she held a strand up looking at its color. Pieces fell down against her shoulder as it glinted in the sun. Overwhelmed, the woman bent her head down and burst into tears. Eventually composing herself, she stood up and started walking on a grassy path. She came across a white house in the middle of nowhere. No one was home, so she continued walking on a more defined road.

She came upon a town, or what she thought was a town. She felt exposed in her nightgown and quickly looked around for something recognizable- the library. She opened the library door and cautiously looked inside. A striking, dark haired woman looked up at her from a book.

Ruby looked up from _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_ and saw a petite, slender woman looking at her. The woman's golden red hair created a halo around her head. Ruby could tell by looking at her it was another new character who had awoken in the woods. Ruby smiled and extended her hand as she slowly walked towards the woman who was now completely in the library.

The woman stared into Ruby's eyes as if cast under a spell. "What color are my eyes?" the woman unexpectedly asked. The question through Ruby for a loop, but she answered "dark blue." Dark blue eyes set in a small, heart shaped face. A little pink mouth under a small nose.

"I don't know what blue looks like," the woman said.

Ruby took a dark blue book off the shelf and showed it to the woman. Ruby had a hunch, "Are you from a land without color?"

"Yes. I've been told our land is in black, white, and grey. There are rumors of colors beyond my land, but very few people have seen them. The few who seen colors have tried describing them in writing, but no one can fathom it. It is a strange concept, although I have tried," the woman explained. She added proudly that she knew someone who had seen color.

"Does the name Dracula sound familiar?" Ruby asked. The woman shook her head no.

"Frankenstein?" Ruby tried again. Ruby saw recognition of the name on the woman's face.

"Is your name by any chance Elizabeth?" Ruby asked her, hoping she was.

"Why, yes. How did you know?"

Ruby squealed with delight and explained she knew Victor Frankenstein. He lived in Storybrooke and was one of the premiere doctor's at the hospital. Well, _the_ premiere doctor seeing he was involved in almost everything. He also went by Dr. Whale here and not Frankenstein. Elizabeth was in shock and stood there processing the knowledge Victor was here and had been here all along. After the death of his brother and father, the authorities had been looking for him. There were strange stories circulating about their deaths. She had been Victor's intended before breaking it off with him. He was brilliant but obsessed with work and science. She loved science too, and she helped him with it before eventually realizing it didn't consume her like it did him.

Ruby's mind raced as she snuck glances at Elizabeth. She couldn't believe _the_ Elizabeth from Victor's world was actually here. The romantic in her wondered if it was fate or destiny. A possible second chance. Victor's lonely prayers to whomever must have been heard. She calmed herself down and told herself she would not get involved in any more matching making.

The two woman walked down the street to Ruby's car. She told Elizabeth not to fret over her clothes as she was overdressed by this world's standards. On the way to her car, Ruby noticed a person sitting at the corner of the hardware store. The hands and size indicated he was a man. His head was lowered and covered, and he was extremely dirty. Homeless people were a rare site in town, so Ruby decided to check on him when she returned from the hospital.

Elizabeth was quiet on the car ride to the hospital. Elizabeth was nervous about seeing Victor again. It had been such a long time since they had seen each other. She was curious as to why he had an alias. Ruby explained the curse to her. She looked out the window trying to process everything Ruby was bombarding her with.

Ruby didn't know whether to warn Whale about Elizabeth or to spring her on him. She didn't get a chance to decide because as they stood at the hospital entrance, Dr. Whale came out of the staff lounge with a coffee. He abruptly stopped when he saw Ruby and Elizabeth. He stood staring at them with his mouth open. It eased Elizabeth's worries who laughed at the site of him in shock. He put his coffee down on a table and wrapped her in a big hug. He pulled back to study her in color. He never imagined her hair would be so striking a color.

He stuttered and sputtered, trying to figure out how she ended up in Storybrooke. Ruby wasn't used to seeing him so tongue tied. Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders and explained how she went to sleep in her bed and woke up in a brightly colored forest. Whale said he would stop by the inn after his shift ended in 3 hours.

"You discovered a great person to help you. Ruby takes in stray humans," he joked. Ruby rolled her eyes, but it was starting to become true. It reminded Ruby to look for the man she had seen on the street. On their way to the inn, Ruby drove around looking for the man but was unable to find him.

Once at the inn, Ruby introduced her to Mulan, Dorothy, and Jim who had been out looking for Huckleberry Finn. They decided he hadn't arrived…yet. Ruby noticed Jim was wearing some of Archie's clothes. He smiled proudly and exclaimed he had never wore anything so nice before.

"They try to dress Huck like this once. He done burned the clothes," Jim recalled. Mulan liked this Huck child, despite his silly name.

Elizabeth's eyes widened when she learned Dorothy and Ruby were a couple. Like rumors of color, she had heard in faraway lands people sometimes dated the same sex. Everything was so different here! Even Victor seemed different somehow than he had at home.

Victor picked her up at the inn and brought her to the lake. The two strolled around catching up on each other's lives. Victor explained what happened to his father and brother. Elizabeth knew he always wanted to resurrect someone and was shocked he actually did it. He did it twice in fact. He hadn't been a saint and Regina got revenge by including him in her curse. His curse persona was even worse. Elizabeth explained how everyone in their world seemed to go into a deep sleep. When everyone awoke no one could explain it, but everyone carried on as if nothing unusual had happened. She was a governess at the time. She woke up and continued teaching her math lesson. Now she understood the curse had affected worlds far and wide. She also told him the authorities were looking for him. Whale said his sins haunted him enough, and he had no intentions of ever going back. She felt a twinge of disappointment that he didn't desire to return to see her, but Elizabeth felt for him having lost his family. He seemed to have lost his humanity as well.

The next day, Elizabeth started volunteering at the hospital. She was eager to learn about modern medicine and science. Whale forgot how scientific minded Elizabeth was and how much she enjoyed learning. He observed her while she worked. She was serious and focused. He was happy she was here, yet it was strange having her back in his life. So much of his cursed persona still lingered. He had grown fond of women who were bold and sassy. Basically, Ruby. Although, the Blue Fairy was feisty too. Mulan and Dorothy as well. These were the woman he had grown to admire. Elizabeth reminded him of Snow, and he cringed when he recalled their date under the curse. However, after 28 plus years, he started recalling how Elizabeth brought balance to his life. She was the original one who reminded him of his humanity; often making him take breaks from his work to view art, listen to music, or go dancing. She bridged the gap between his work and the outside community.

The other three woman spent their time organizing and helping new characters adjust to Storybrook. Ruby and Dorothy also helped Granny at the diner a few hours a day, while Jim and Mulan managed the inn. Jim also helped Geppetto.

Dorothy announced she was returning to Oz to check on everything there. Ruby wanted to go too, but Dorothy said she and Mulan should stay in Storybrooke. Dorothy would only be gone a week and with the onslaught of literary figure still arriving, someone needed to stay. Jim was fond of the women, and they needed to help him find Huck if he was to appear.

Before Dorothy left, she stopped by the hospital to see Dr. Whale. She didn't get to see him interact with Elizabeth to see what they were like together, but she encouraged him to ask Elizabeth on a date. Victor sighed and thought, "Not this again." Dorothy was more pushy than Ruby. She explained why he should revisit his relationship with Elizabeth. Victor countered saying Elizabeth may have moved on from their relationship. As nice and sweet as she was, Elizabeth was a logical, practical person. She knew when to move on with her life. She already did it once. Dorothy told him he was letting fear get in his way.

He also wasn't sure how her felt about Elizabeth. She had just gotten here, and he was overwhelmed. Her presence brought back both good and bad memories from his world. He couldn't deny she was familiar and calming. Getting frustrated, he snapped at Dorothy that he knew why she was trying so hard to get him and Elizabeth back together. He told Dorothy she had nothing to worry about concerning him and Ruby though. Exasperated, Dorothy left in a huff, saying he was impossible. Ruby's and Elizabeth's conversation about Victor had gone much, much smoother.

During a break, Ruby went to the library to drop off a few books. As she was shelving them, she got a whiff of something. She stopped and sniffed the air. She was unable to place the pungent smell. The smell began to wane as she continued putting the books away.

Later at the diner, Ruby was topping off hot chocolates with cinnamon when she realized cinnamon was one of the smells from the library. She figured she must have gotten something from Granny's diner on the books, which was what she smelled. She hoped Belle wouldn't mind.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch. 5

I do not own _Once Upon a Time_ or any of its characters.

(This is a very short chapter, but I wanted to move the story along some. I know where it's going, and I hope whoever is reading it enjoys the twists and turns.)

Victor mulled over his argument with Dorothy. She had certainly touched a nerve. In a strange way, Victor had grown used to being alone. Yes, he would have dated Ruby in a heartbeat. The relationship never came to fruition, but it continued on in some form in his mind. Ruby and his loneliness were both some sort of comfort. There was so much uncertainty with Elizabeth and so many memories associated with her. As much as a rapscallion Whale was in Storybrooke, he allowed Victor to escape from his former dreary, grey world.

Ruby noticed Victor seemed deep in thought. She slowly approached his table to refill his cup. Her presence interrupted his thoughts. She gave him a warm smile and asked if she could sit down for a second. She asked him to join her, Granny, Mulan, Jim, and Elizabeth for a picnic in the woods today. He was a hesitant. Their eyes locked, and they spoke without saying a word. Her green eyes bore into his bright blues ones, imploring him to join them. His eyes tried to sort out her purpose in inviting him. Perhaps another matchmaking attempt?

Victor ultimately agreed to join them. He needed to work on not being alone. After all, both Ruby and Elizabeth pushed him to socialize more. The group sprawled several blankets on the green forest floor. Elizabeth was still amazed by color and would often find herself looking everywhere soaking in all of it. The group chatted and ate an assortment of foods. Each person making a dish from their own background. Victor was relieved Dorothy was gone, although she would be back any day. He stole glances at Elizabeth who was staring up at the sky. The day was sunny but stray, grey clouds rolled past every so often. "She is beautiful in a delicate way," Victor thought, admiring Elizabeth's golden red hair piled in a bun.

There was a lull in the conversation as the group started to stretch out and relax more. Mulan leaned against Jim as she fought off the urge to nap. A peaceful calm settled over the group. Ruby started quietly putting things away in the baskets. She stopped. She sniffed the air. There was the strange smell of spices again. A branch snapped in some nearby brushes as if it had been stepped on by someone or something. It was loud enough for the entire group to look towards the area the noise came from. Mulan stood up with her sword drawn. The group listened for more noise but no other noise was made. Mulan was skeptical and looked around the area.

"Granny, do you smell spices?" Ruby asked when the group resumed their relaxing once again. "I got a whiff of something, yes," Granny answered. Granny didn't know what the exact scent was or where it came from. Ruby was perplexed as she kept smelling it. One day when she got in her car, she smelled it. The warm air made the scent strong. Ruby sensed someone had been in her car. She immediately got out and looked around and inside her car. Nothing. It was nothing. It was all probably related to the characters roaming about.

Two nights later, Ruby was sleeping when someone knocked on her door. It was Elizabeth. She seemed anxious and asked if she could sleep with Ruby. Once inside the room, Elizabeth seemed relieved. Ruby locked the door behind her. She noticed Elizabeth looking at the window. "Is everything okay?" Ruby asked.

"I'm sorry. I know it seems strange I asked to sleep in your room," Elizabeth hesitated, trying to explain. Finally, she came out with it; "There was something outside my window. A shadow of a human. No, two humans. Or at least that's what I think they were. I thought I was imagining things, so I stood in front of the window. The figures disappeared though."

Ruby saw Elizabeth was visibly shaken. "It's very windy tonight, and there's a tree outside your window. Maybe it was branches swaying in the wind?" Ruby offered an explanation. Nothing was happening in town to suggest darker forces were at play.

Elizabeth smiled weakly at Ruby still not convinced, but she didn't know how else to explain what she saw. Ruby gave her a hug, and she and Elizabeth snuggled into bed. Both women were drifting off to sleep when Ruby shot up and looked at the door. "What is it?" Elizabeth asked with terror in her voice.

"Shhh," Ruby said, now starting to panic. Her doorknob twisted slowly as if someone was trying to quietly open it. Ruby slid out of bed and snuck to the door. Maybe she was imagining things.

The doorknob moved again but this time with more force.


	6. Chapter 6

Ch.6

I do not own _Once Upon a Time_ or its characters.

(Boring author's notes: Thank you for the reviews. I certainly welcome them. The chapters will eventually get longer. I like to finish things, so I will be updating despite delays. I didn't know when I started the story, I would be going to school again on top of working. So goes life.)

There was no denying someone was on the other side of door, and Ruby needed to act quickly if she and Elizabeth were to have a fighting chance. She quickly ran to Elizabeth and grabbed her firmly by the shoulders. "Something is about to happen. I don't what it is yet, but we need to open the door, let them in, and attack. They are probably going to come in regardless," Ruby whispered, trying to keep her voice steady.

"What do you mean by "them"?" Elizabeth asked before following Ruby's eyes to the window behind her. A crouching figure sat outside the window in a ninja like pose, while the doorknob shook vigorously.

There was no full moon tonight, so Ruby was going to have to rely on the skills she had in human form. She picked up her desk chair and positioned herself next to the door. Elizabeth opened the door before shielding herself with it as she let out a piercing scream to wake the household. A large man barreled into the room but fell back as Ruby hit him with the chair.

The window shattered as the second assailant came into the room making his way towards Elizabeth. Elizabeth continued screaming despite getting hoarse. She ran to Ruby's nightstand and started flinging books as the person whirled towards her with the grace of ballet dancer-who happened to be holding a dagger in each hand. Elizabeth held a book to her face just as a dagger came through it. The dagger inches from her face. Neither one could see their assailants' faces as both wore turbans with covered faces. One fighter was lithe and nimble, while the other was a brute sized beast.

Granny shot up upon hearing Elizabeth's scream. A scream of desperation. Within seconds, Granny had her hand bow and was pulling on the door knob. The door didn't open. She shook it fiercely and let out a frustrated growl. One of the fighters had jammed a chair under the outside door knob. Who were these wretched people? What did they want at her inn? Was the whole town being attacked? So many frustrating questions which Granny could only answer by yelling for them to leave. "You'll regret this once I get out of here!" Granny screamed.

Mulan grabbed her sword and swung it as she jumped into the hall. A third assailant saw her and drew a sword. The two swords clashed. A bulky man was seemed to be her opponent, so she decided to use maneuvering rather than relying on strength alone. In what looked like a dangerous dance, the two moved back and forth, side to side with Mulan slowly backing her opponent towards the other women.

Jim ran out of his room and grabbed a knife from the kitchen. He ran behind a fourth person and stabbed him in the side. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He never physically injured someone on purpose before. Looking up to see Ruby struggling gave him the strength to run up the stairs though.

Ruby's assailant held her in a chokehold. She clawed and kicked at him. Bright red marks were forming on his arms. Elizabeth's feet were kicked out her under her. Instead of hitting the ground, she landed in her assailant's arms. He threw her over this shoulder and took out a book from a leather satchel tied to his side. While securing a flaying Elizabeth over his shoulder, the fighter opened the book and laid it on the floor.

Mulan suddenly stopped fighting, which confused her opponent. He paused long enough for Mulan to quickly flip her sword. She masterfully held the blade without cutting herself as she jammed the end of her sword into the man's face. She moved to the side and grabbed the end of her sword in midair. The man reeled backwards. Mulan used the moment to her advantage and continued her assault. She edged closer when suddenly a blinding white light prevented her from moving.

The sudden light and its brightness caught Mulan and Jim off guard and paralyzed them in their spots for several second. It was the kind of light which created a piercing headache and made one cover their eyes from pain. The light disappeared as quickly as it appeared. It took several more seconds for Jim and Mulan to recover from the blinding light. They looked around the area but the assailants and the other two women disappeared.

Granny used an ax from her closet to bust through her door. After fighting through shards of wood, Granny made her way upstairs. She saw four men, two of them holding Ruby and Elizabeth, jump into something on the floor. The object on the floor released a powerful light that disappeared after the last person had jumped.

"If I wasn't already a magical creature myself, I wouldn't believe what I just saw," she said in disbelief, making her way to the object on the floor. The three stared down at the open book. Its pages were old grey with flowing script. They looked at each other. They had come from a book. They left through a book. A book.

Mulan decided the book itself was not dangerous She leaned down and folded the corner of the open pages in case they were significant. She then shut the book and read its title.

 _One Thousand and One Nights_


	7. Chapter 7

Ch. 7

Book Jumping

I do not own _Once Upon a Time_ or its characters.

"Book jumpers?" Mulan asked incredulously.

"It's ironic because it's magic but even the most powerful magic users have trouble with book jumping," Regina told the group. Granny had called Snow the next morning. Briefly hearing the conversation because she was sitting next to Snow, Regina knew she needed to go with Snow to the inn.

Regina explained there was a part of magic which involved the ability to jump through books. Not every book could be jumped through. If a book had a magical quality about it, then one could jump through it. No one was sure how it came about or when it first started. It was now almost considered an obscure ability. Rumor was long ago in the earliest of times a wizard created the ability using a spell. Books were often based on real places, even places non-magic users didn't know about yet. Magic had also been more prevalent in the world than it was in modern times.

Books were an easy way to jump between realms. When a book, new or old, possesses the criteria set by the spell, one can jump in it. Hundreds of years ago a powerful sorcerer was unable to book jump, so he taught all his apprentices book jumping was for the weak. His teachings caught on enough that even the most powerful magic users stopped caring about book jumping and overlooked it as "silly, childish" magic.

Book jumping required a high amount of confidence, faith, believing, or whatever you wanted to do call it. Most magic users scoffed or laughed at the notion of jumping on a book hoping its words would suck you into it…literally. Some believed this attitude was also part of the spell placed by the wizard in order to protect the ability from dark magic. After all, the ability could potentially be so powerful. As dark magic users grew in numbers, the ability seemed to become less and less.

Regina and Rumple couldn't do it. They were taught by the school who scoffed at it as being childish and silly. There were other ways to travel to different realms. The best wouldn't be so incapable that they'd have to resort to book jumping. Regina wished she could do it now though. She always thought you also had to be pure of heart to book jump, but the assailants showed otherwise.

"What's going on?"

The group turned to see Dorothy at the door. Granny choked back tears as she tried to explain, so Mulan finished for her.

"Who are they? Where are they from? Why them?" Dorothy frantically asked.

"We don't know anything other than the book they jumped from," Snow told her. Dorothy gave her a questioning look.

"Yes, a book," Regina answered.

"Obviously, we're going to get them back," Snow assured Dorothy. Snow's gentle voice helped Dorothy regain her composure. The group heard gravel flying as a car sped down the road. They all knew it was Dr. Whale.

Mulan called Dr. Whale to tell him what happened. Whale quickly made arrangements for the hospital to be managed while he was gone. He didn't know how long he'd be gone, but it was going to be until he found Ruby and Elizabeth.

"What is our plan of action?" Snow asked once everyone was in the living room. They looked at each other. They all wanted to go to their friends, but how were they going to get there?

"There is one book jumper in town. A most useful one if you need him to grow," Regina said.

Anton was eager to help them, especially since Ruby was a close friend. He explained some of the complexities of book jumping. Others could jump if they held hands with the book jumper. Book jumpers had to jump first and have enough faith to believe they could transport others as well as themselves.

"I've never jumped with anyone, but I believe I can do it," Anton confidently told them.

"It's exactly what we want to hear," Snow beamed.

"We can't all go," Mulan stated.

"I'm going," Dorothy immediately said.

"Elizabeth will need someone from her world to support her," Victor said. He tried to remain calm but was worried about Ruby and Elizabeth. Their disappearance was a mystery. Truth be told, this was the first time people he was close to in Storybrooke had been in danger. As selfish as he was, the thought of them being in danger worried him more than when it was him. He also felt bad for realizing he didn't worry for anyone else. After all, they all seemed to come back from their journeys unscathed. Almost all of them anyway.

"Ruby's like a sister to me," Snow chimed in with Granny saying she was obviously jumping.

Regina noticed Anton started to look nervous, which she worried would affect his jumping abilities. Regina decided they should each state why they should go with Anton. Then, they would vote three people to jump with Anton.

Regina and Snow needed to stay in Storybrooke and handle other issues. They also wanted to find out if this was an isolated attack or part of something bigger. They were going to investigate. Granny was forced to stay. They told her they didn't want anything to happen to her. "Just come out and say it. You think I'm too old," she argued. Jim was to stay and wait for Huck. The existence of magic was new to Jim, and no one wanted him overwhelmed.

Regina gave Dorothy a signaling necklace. If she held the pendant while she thought of her request, it would signal Regina for help. Meanwhile, Regina would look for a magic spell which would let her jump realms. "I certainly see the convenience of book jumping," Regina thought.

"Pack lightweight clothing that covers your arms and legs. Also bring something to wrap around your head and face," Anton told the three as they left to pack.

"Why? Because I'll stand out as a foreigner with my fair hair and blue eyes?" Whale asked.

"No, because you'll burn to a crisp. It's hot and sunny there. It's not the rainy season, and there will hardly be a cloud in the sky," Anton answered.

Anton went to the book's setting recently after reading a story set there. It was a vibrant place, but he had gone during an uprising of sorts. The kingdom was having some issues with its ruler. Anton was told by a scholar in the temple university he should leave. He hoped they were not dealing with the aftermath of an uprising.

Emma called Granny and offered to keep the book at her place. She wanted the book to be safe and thought her place was the safest. She put the book under a large cage in the attic incase the assailants returned. If they returned, they would be contained, or at least make enough noise to alert someone.

"Why not put the book in a jail cell?" Henry asked. Emma gave him a small smile. If the group and assailants came through at the same time, they'd all be caged, and Emma shuddered at what she would find after such a cage fight.

The group gathered in Emma's home three hours later. The book opened to a section where they would appear on the outskirts of the city. The pages the assailants jumped through led directly to a palace. It was a dangerous place to go to first since they did not have a plan yet. They needed to get acquainted with the city to see what they were up against. No one had read the story. They were essentially going in with little to no knowledge or plan except for what Anton knew.

The four held hands. On the count of three, Anton ran towards the book with the others following him. Anton jumped high into the air and as his feet hit the book, the pages opened into a hole. Dr. Whale had a feeling the result was something akin to jumping into a black hole, expect people somehow came back together. They felt a sensation of being stretched. The stretching sensation began to intensify until they were in pain from it. Then suddenly, they were on the other side of the book between shabby, clay buildings and a giant, weathered stone wall.

Mulan, Dorothy, and Victor looked around feeling off balanced. They felt as if they had just landed from a jump.

"Well, here we are," Anton said, unfazed.

Dorothy suddenly realized something; "Wait, wait, wait! How are we supposed to get back?"

"Why didn't we get that information earlier?" Victor asked.

"I think we were so desperate to get here, none of us thought about it. We face danger often, but it's usually together," Mulan offered an explanation.

"We need a book leading to Storybrooke, or we can book hop. Maybe use the pendant. We'll worry about it later after we have Ruby and Elizabeth," Anton suggested, again unfazed. Dorothy was perplexed by Ruby's friend.

Dorothy smiled and shook her head at how Ruby could befriend just about anyone. She stole a glance at Victor and wondered what his real aim was for being here.

(Hooray for free time!)


	8. Chapter 8

Ch. 8

I do not own _Once Upon a Time_ or its characters. I also do not own _One Thousand and One Nights_ or its characters.

Ruby and Elizabeth walked down a long blue and white marble corridor. Their hands were tied and two guards walked on each side of them. Ruby surveyed her surroundings. A large courtyard was in the center of the current wraparound balcony. Outside halls led to other similar square balconies and courtyards, which seemed to lead to various rooms. A tall faded pink marbled tower stood on the outskirts on the palace. The tower was a wide cylinder with three floors. Each floor had wide openings leading to large balconies. Women wearing beautiful fabrics were lounging on the balconies. Ruby felt as if she had seen this place before. Suddenly, it occurred to her.

"Is this Agrabah?" Ruby asked to no one in particular.

"No. It is in the same region though," a captor answered.

Ruby's braveness at speaking gave Elizabeth the courage to speak too. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"To see the king," the same captor answered. Ruby wondered if he was the only one who could speak their language.

The women were stopped outside a large gold door with ornate details. A stately looking man with a blue turban came out and bowed before them. "The king is ready for you," he told them. Two servants then opened the huge doors. Both women's eyes widened at the extravagant sight before them. The room only had two wall-front and back. The two side opened into gardens. Fragrances from those gardens filled the air. The room was a long rectangle and made of white marble. The only thing in it was an opulent throne on top of a platform.

A servant was covering the king's thick, wavy black hair with a light grey, jeweled turban. Hair so black it had a blue sheen to it. The king stood and gracefully made his way down the throne area's steps. He reminded Ruby of a panther.

The king was a striking man. His handsomeness briefly threw Ruby and Elizabeth off their guard. He was tall with wide square shoulders. His eyes were dark, steel grey. Cheekbones stood out high and prominent on a well chiseled face. His dark bronze skin glowed from the scented oil on it.

"Do you like what you see?" he smirked, asking Ruby and Elizabeth. The women realized their mouths were open from staring intently. Ruby quickly became stoned face.

Before she could say anything, the king said, "You probably want answers. First, I am King Shahryar." He had a slight accent, but it only added to his attractiveness.

He continued, "I will get to the point. On my visit to the wretched place you are from, I saw you two and thought "they are exquisite creatures." Upon my return home, I could not stop thinking of you two, so I sent some men to bring you to me. I think you two will be great additions to the new harem I have recently started."

"What?!" Ruby bellowed at him, rage surging through her body. "You kidnapped us to put us in a HAREM," she practically screamed at him.

"Why, yes. I do not find too many intelligent, caring women who are also striking," he said in a calm, matter of fact manner. He took a strand of Elizabeth's hair. "I have never seen this kind of hair before either. I have only heard about it from stories about a land across several dangerous seas," he said, transfixed on Elizabeth's hair.

"This is humiliating," Elizabeth whispered out loud. She regretted it when she saw the king's eyes darken, and he pulled her closer to him by her hair.

"Humiliating? You do not know what humiliation or betrayal is!" he roared shaking Elizabeth's head by her hair. Tears welled up in her blue eyes, and she begged him to let go of her. She didn't mean to upset him. Ruby grabbed the king's hand. He backhanded her for touching him. Ruby desperately wanted to morph into a wolf and maul him.

He circled the girls and continued his rant; "I know about humiliation. I was somehow sucked into your forsaken world. I desperately searched for someone to help me. I didn't know where I was, how I was going to get home, and I was covered in mud! I feel into a giant mud pit after a metal machine almost hit me! I wandered alone for three days! No one stopped to help me. No one! Then…"

Ruby realized how one act could affect someone's life. He was the man covered in dirt she had seen sitting by himself that day in Storybrooke. If only she had stopped to help him, then maybe he would not have been humiliated. Maybe he wouldn't be angry and vengeful. Men in his position were probably not used to being treated with disregard. Then again, maybe he was just a horrible person who would have done something to her no matter what she did. Perhaps the experience should have humbled him.

"…I get home and…" the king continued before suddenly coming out of his angry trance. He now looked pensive, almost sad. The door opened and the regal older gentleman offered to take the women to the tower. The king only nodded his head in agreement.

"The king has had a very trying time recently," the man told them as they made their way toward the pink marbled tower. "He held such promise," he said more to himself than to them. Ruby noted his words and began to wonder what else happened to the king. There had to be more than only the Storybrooke incident. Ruby sometimes felt like a domesticated dog in the sense she could feel someone's aura or their intentions. She sensed the gentleman was genuinely kind. She wanted to ask him so many questions. She didn't ask though because she still wasn't completely sure about him. She didn't want it obvious she was prying. She would start slowly. "What is your name?" she asked him.

"Harun. People call me 'the Genie' though," he said, giving her a small smile.

"Do you grant people wishes?" she asked. Her curiosity was piqued.

"Only to those whose intentions I knew to be just. I was the king's advisor as well as his father's advisor. I've been demoted to harem overseer though," he said with a sadness in his words.

"You seem like a man I've heard about named Merlin. He was advisor to a king too," Ruby continued the conversation. She saw the weak spot in the wall, so to speak.

Harun's eyes lit up; "I have heard of him too. I once had the privilege of studying some of his notes and such."

As Ruby and Harun talked, Elizabeth walked quietly replaying the scene with the king in her head. She was shaken up from the incident. No one had ever been cruel to her. It was a new and shocking experience for her.

The trio walked through a metal door on the side of a white wall. The women's eyebrows arched when they saw the harem area. It was absolutely beautiful. Trees lined the fountains and pools. Fruit trees shaded marble benches and cushions. Despite the heat of the region, the area was pleasant in temperature. Gardens were intermingled throughout the large rectangle area and along the perimeter of the walls. The tower stood in the center of the area. It was a wide, tall building with curtains billowing out from the windows and openings due to the wind.

"It's still a prison no matter how beautiful it is here," Ruby thought. She shuddered at remembering the witch trapping her in her wolf form. She missed Dorothy and was saddened by the thought of never seeing her or anyone else ever again. She composed herself when she glimpsed at Elizabeth. Ruby realized Elizabeth had probably never been in any situation like this before. She put an arm around Elizabeth and gave her a squeeze. Elizabeth smiled at her comfort.

"There's something I need to tell you about myself," Ruby whispered to Elizabeth before stopping as a woman approached them. It was funny how realms and worlds seemed to have similarities. It was almost topsy turvy here though. The woman wore an ancient Greek like dress. Gold earrings and jewelry adorned her.

"Hello. I'm Amara. I'm the head concubine," she greeted them. Amara was regal and statuesque. She stood a few inches taller than Ruby and was slender. She explained she was one of fifty daughters of an emperor. With so many daughters, the emperor started giving them away. She was an organizer for a general before being bought by the king. He had seen her at one of her father's banquets she had organized for him.

Amara led them on a tour of the area. She pointed out each woman but emphasized some more than others. She explained the set-up and the rules of the harem. The women who had been there the longest had seniority. The expectation was Astrid, who the king prized above the rest of them for her exoticism. Ruby wanted to laugh. She found Astrid beautiful for sure but not exotic by her world's standards. Astrid was a fair blond with ice blue eyes. Her light blond hair braided in an intricate design. She reminded Ruby of Elsa. She wore a dark blue tribal dress with shells and ivory adorning her. Astrid was from a tribe located from lands across the sea. Very few people traveled to Astrid's part of the world, but a shipwreck by her people landed her along the coast. She was taken from her old husband by raiders. The king seemed like a blessing compared to her husband.

Astrid sneered at the two newcomers. "Astrid is very proud of her position with the king," Amara told them, diplomatically indicating Astrid was haughty.

"Although, I think her exoticism will be challenged by you," she told Elizabeth, stroking a strand of her hair. She held the strand up towards the sun. "We've never had anyone whose hair has been touched by the fire god," she said impressed by the golden red hair. Ruby saw Astrid roll her eyes in disgust. Elizabeth really wanted to explain biology and genetics to them.

An Asian woman in a velvet, medieval type gown glared at them. "She's new too. No one even knows her name," Amara explained.

"Please don't take this wrong, but everyone seems hostile. Is anyone friends here? Does anyone get along?" Elizabeth asked, noting the hostility the women seemed to have towards them and one another.

"How many women are there in here? Do we ever leave the compound?" Ruby added.

"There are thirty women here, and we only leave after the king sees us," Amara answered Ruby first. "We do not make friends because we are competitors for the king's affection. We cannot afford friends. They say whoever the king likes best will be the next queen, "she said addressing Elizabeth's question.

"Next queen?" Ruby asked.

Amara shifted nervously; "It is a sensitive matter. One I will tell you about after you have adjusted to your new home. You two seem like intelligent, keen women. This place will feel like a prison to you, no?"

"You got that right," Ruby shot her a side eye.

"So the king requests you for the night, has sex with you, and puts you back here the next morning?" Elizabeth was trying to come to terms with suddenly being a concubine. Ruby wasn't thrilled either and planned on getting the king to take her on a full moon. Of course, they then had to find their way home.

"No. He takes you for the night and lets you go the next morning," Amara said. "See, there is hope," she added. It seemed too simple. Ruby wasn't so sure after she witnessed the king throw a fit over being covered in mud. Storybrooke was a friendly place…for the most part, and she wondered why no one helped him.

"The king takes you in order of your arrival. You are 29 and 30, respectively," Amara explained. She ended the tour by bringing them to the beautification room at the bottom floor of the tower. "You will be bathed, oiled, and made-up to better suit the king. The oil helps with the dryness and protects from the sun," she said, lifting an arm. Her dark skin glowed much like the king's skin.

The women were stripped by female servants. The servants thoroughly washed them, oiled them, and brushed their hair until it glistened. They were wrapped up in silk and muslin fabrics. A veil put on them with gold intricate headbands keeping it in place. Black kohl went on their eyes and their lips were painted pink. The two looked in disbelief at themselves in the mirror. They looked wonderful but not themselves.

Ruby and Elizabeth were brought to their beds on the third floor to take a nap. In the afternoon, the beds were inside. At night, the woman moved them to the balcony to enjoy the cool night air. Both woman laid silently plotting an escape. Amara had mentioned a library at the top of the tower. Ruby was going to take a cue from Belle and look to books for help. Elizabeth prayed for strength and courage. She felt like a damsel in distress and hated the feeling. She also found herself missing Victor and everyone else in Storybrooke.

"I don't want to sleep with the king, but I will if it means being free the next day. I wish my chance would come sooner than later," Elizabeth whispered to Ruby. "Don't wish that," Ruby said with an uneasiness.

Ruby also wanted to locate calendar.

(Note: Elizabeth will not be a damsel, but she isn't used to the constant drama like Storybrooke people. She will grow. I am developing this story more and more. It is a lofty story with a grand scope, and I hope it comes out well. I am excited to write it!)


	9. Chapter 9

The Temple Library

I do not own _Once Upon a Time_ , _A Thousand and One Nights_ , or any of their characters.

The four "rescuers" had been in the kingdom for almost a week. They referred to it as a kingdom because they were not sure of the place's name. It apparently had three names and using the wrong name could offend the person who wanted the kingdom called by one of the other two names. Dorothy called the place "Agrabah's Sister City."

The group grew frustrated with their lack of progress. Frustrations led to irritability with one another, so they decided to spend the day off by themselves. They were so eager to find Ruby and Elizabeth that they didn't realize the struggles of being in a new, unfamiliar place.

The city was diverse and many people spoke multiple languages, including their language. The citizens were quiet and somber, yet the city architecture suggested a once thriving culture. Mulan sensed the city's citizens lived in fear. They looked well taken care of, but there was an underlying heaviness that Mulan could not quite understand.

The group immediately noticed upon their arrival the large university and temple complex in the center of the city was closed. In fact, the area had been destroyed. The area's destruction spoke volumes. The group knew when a place of importance was closed that the locals would be wary to speak about it. Ropes, stones, and boards covered its entrance. The white and pink buildings fading in the hot sun. A shell of its former glory. The temple's library was said to be the best in the region. The books removed, destroyed, and burned. Of course, no one was allowed inside to see the actual damage. Anton was saddened by the closing and destruction of the place. The group tried surveying the area one day, but their interest drew suspicion from citizens and soldiers.

Victor decided going to the temple's library alone may be less suspicious than a group. He walked around its perimeter. Large steps led to its entrance from the front and back, while large trees lined the walled sides. Pillars, columns, and statues decorated the large structure. Victor noticed one of the wood boards from a high window was hanging, which left a hole in the window. The window's location height looked comparable to a third story. He wondered how good Mulan was at scaling walls.

A peddler walked by and stopped next to Victor. He also looked up at the towering temple. "What happened to it?" Victor asked the man, deciding they needed to start asking questions and making progress towards rescuing their friends. The peddler studied him before silently limping off down the quiet street. Victor sat down underneath a tree lining the library and contemplated sneaking into it. He wondered what was still in there. Any information on the place could help them. It was a heavily fortified city and palace.

Victor's thoughts were interrupted by huge a shadow hovering over him. He jumped up when he saw a massive guard standing over him. The man spoke to him in an unknown tongue. Realizing Victor did not understand him, the guard went through a series of languages before Victor could finally understand him.

"Why were you asking about the temple?" he asked Victor. Victor decided to admit it rather than deny asking about it. The peddler must have ratted him out to the guards. An odd sign. He told the guard he was new to the area and wanted to visit the library for knowledge on the area since libraries often provided such information. Victor put on his most innocent face. At the thought of him even having the ability to look innocent, Victor almost laughed. It worked though. The guard's shoulders relaxed, and he looked less aggressive. He shrugged and told Victor an incident happened, so it was closed. "We do not speak of the incident. I suggest you do the same," he advised Victor.

Mulan put on a red, traditional robe paired with a veil to protect from the sun. It was the most feminine she had looked in years, yet she was natural in it. Clothes did not always make the woman. She confidently walked towards the giant blue marble and stone wall that led to the huge palace compound. She wanted to study the wall and see what weaknesses she could find. She did not expect to find any but wanted to make sure. Some guards lounged on top of the wall, while some walked back and forth. They wore blue and purple garbs with bows and arrows. Swords hung to their sides. Mulan was sure she was familiar with their fighting styles based on her travels.

She suddenly noticed a tall, sturdy figure crouched in the shadows of the wall. The figure was studying part of the wall. What caught her attention was the figure wore head to toe armor from ancient China. There were Asians in the city but none in military attire. She tapped her sword hidden under her robe before slowly approaching the solider. Sure enough, the solider positioned for a confrontation. Mulan immediately asked the soldier's name. The solider quickly retorted that it was none of her business.

"What?" the solider asked, noticing Mulan looked perplexed. "Where are you from?" Mulan asked wanting to hear the solider speak again. The solider growled the same response as before. Mulan explained she was from China as well. The solider seemed unmoved by this revelation. Mulan decided to prove her suspicions.

"Are you a woman pretending to be a man by projecting your voice to sound deeper?" Mulan asked the solider. She saw the other's eyes widen for a split second. The solider deftly took off into the city. Mulan wanted answers, but a dramatic pursuit would draw attention.

"She should be curious as to find out more about me." Mulan thought. She needed to follow up on this odd development.

Dorothy and Anton spent the day working for a street vendor. Mulan and Victor were confused. "We need money for supplies, food, and shelter," Antwon explained.

"We got tricked into working," Dorothy huffed, feeling defeated.

"They paid us," the ever optimistic Anton stated.

Mulan shared her strange encounter with the solider. They all hoped the solider could be a potential ally. Victor told the group what he noticed about the temple library.

Dorothy had an idea. Using the day's wages, they would buy a tall ladder. They would use the ladder to sneak into the temple during the middle of the night. Then, resale the ladder the next day.

Mulan offered to simply scale the wall, crawl through the window, and find a way to the let the others inside. "Like a ninja," Victor stated. Victor quickly learned not to compare Mulan's abilities to a ninja. She told him it was an insult not to be able to distinguish two distinct types of warriors. To be a more efficient warrior, she borrowed fighting techniques from other cultures though.

There was a curfew on the city from midnight to five in the morning. After the curfew started, guards wandered the city to make sure everyone followed the curfew. Shelters were created to house the homeless for the night, so even they could not be out after midnight.

The guards were a major concern. After much deliberation, they agreed upon Mulan's plan to use contraband Chinese fireworks to create a distraction.

"We need to find answers quick. Setting off fireworks is setting something into motion. People will be talking, and I'm sure news will quickly make its way to the king about mysterious fireworks going off during the night," Dorothy said during their planning.

"She's right," Mulan agreed, "They will probably view anything out of the ordinary as potentially dangerous."

Anton was deft in his movements. Plus, he could morph into a giant if needed, so he volunteered to set off the fireworks in both planned locations.

Instead of a shelter like previous nights, the group stayed at an inn close to the temple complex. They snuck out the window one at a time and positioned themselves in various places on the side of the library with the open window. Only Anton was on the other side of the library.

Dorothy was not much of the praying type, but she said a prayer to help calm her nerves as she anticipated the fireworks. A guard walked passed her, and she flattened herself against the building. She was both happy and disappointed it was not a full moon. They were hidden in the dark tonight. If it was a full moon though, then Ruby…tears formed in her eyes. Now was not the time to get emotional she told herself.

 _Pop. Pop. Pop. Bang. Bang. Fizz._

Guards ran towards the fireworks that were filling the area with brief color. The guards barely spoke as they shuffled past, expect one as he made an announcement ever few yards in an unknown language. Whatever he said, Dorothy noticed no one stirred inside the buildings.

Mulan took a grappling hook with a rope on it and swung it on a gargoyle like statue near the window. With ease that impressed Victor, she scaled the wall using the rope. Perching on the gargoyle, she took the rope and looked into the temple before going inside.

What seemed like an eternity, a dim light was seen through a floor window. Another set of fireworks went off further into the city. The most recent set of fireworks sent a stream into the night sky. As the fireworks created distant popping, it covered the sound of Mulan creating an opening for the other two to come into the library. Dorothy darted inside first, followed by Victor. They quickly covered the entrance with some nearby boards. Mulan had lit a small lamp. The other two lit their own lamps and looked around the library.

As a man of science and learning, Victor was at a loss for words. It was a magnificent looking place and very ancient looking. It seemingly borrowed from every culture it encountered, yet belonged to the region in overall design. "It used to be magnificent anyway," Victor thought looking at the burned stone, the huge book shelves knocked over, and the ground littered with burnt books and ashes. A large chandelier lay shattered on the ground. Large fire pits in the center of a wide walk way were dark from out of control fires. Victor noticed a large mosaic picture of some kind near the temple entrance. The picture looked to be of a ruler based on the jewels covering the man's chest and turban. Pieces of the mosaic were missing, including the man's face.

Dorothy finally broke the silence. A thick, eerie silence. "We need to start looking around for books," she whispered. Her whispering carrying further than she wanted it to carry.

"Look!" Mulan's own whisper echoed to them. She had moved to one end of the library. Mulan put a finger to her mouth and pointed. It was a false wall. Damage to the wall created a large crack in the wall from the top to bottom. Through the crack, a dim light revealed a hall on the other side of the wall. Immediately, the three looked for something to open a trap door. They pulled on objects and touched stones along the wall.

Suddenly, the wall opened up revealing the hall. Several worrisome thoughts went through their minds as it became clear someone had opened it for them. Victor stayed behind. They needed someone to help them in case something happened, but he was the least skilled at fighting.

The women walked down the hall before turning down another one. A series of doors lined the left side of the hall. Weapons ready, they went into the first room as its door was opened. They froze as they processed what was before them. An old gentleman in long, dark flowing robes sat near a working fire pit with an open scroll on his lap.

"I was wondering when things would start happening," he told them in a soft, distinguished voice.

The women continued staring at him. They were trying to gauge the situation. The older man continued talking with relaxed ease, apparently non-threatened by the women; "I heard movement and talking in the temple but not the usual racket the guards make."

"Did you have anything to do with the fireworks going off recently?" he asked them. His eyes bore into them, yet the women did not feel threatened. He was trying to read them.

"You are not from here," he nodded towards Dorothy. "We do not have many people of your complexion or features in this area. A few but not many. Not after the trade treaty anyway. Seeing you is why I decided to use a language I assumed you knew. We locals pride ourselves on speaking multiple languages. We are the crossroad kingdom for the continent though," he said, almost happy to be talking to them.

Any person who was in the forbidden library in the middle of the night could be a potential ally. Instead of looking through burned books, maybe this man could provide answers. "We don't know what the hell is going on around here, but two of our friends were taken here…through a book, no less," Dorothy said when the man paused.

This sparked the man's interest. The interest was not lost on the women.

"You know anything about it?" Dorothy asked.

"We're trying to find answers," Mulan answered.

"I'm trying to find answers too. Trying to understand if this is an illness passed on from parent to child. Trying to understand how so much hatred and fear could spark so fast in a once promising young man's heart," the man said, seemingly talking in riddles.

Victor darted into the room to warn of guards trying to get into the temple. He snuffed out his lamp when he heard them running in his direction.

"Come with me. There's a secret tunnel to the garden area." the man said, jumping up and dousing the fire. They moved quickly through a tunnel before coming out of it behind a waterfall falling into a natural pool.

"We must part ways. It is dangerous. But thank you," the man told them. He looked almost gleeful. Before dashing away, he effortlessly pulled Dorothy's gingham tie out of her hair.

"Wait," Dorothy protested, confused.

"You can't just leave us!" Victor whispered angrily at the unknown man.

"They call me the Genie," the man said before disappearing.

(Note: I know this is filler, but for me, there needs to be build-up before the main part of the story. There will also be a backstory and some new characters, but I have not forgotten about the original characters.)


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Caged Animals

I do not own _Once Upon a Time_ or any of its characters. I do not own the book _One Thousand and One Nights_ or any of its characters.

To Ruby's dismay, there wasn't a library or any calendars. Harun told them those things were not allowed in the Harem or in most of the kingdom. Books and calendars were only used for business purposes.

"Why do you want a calendar?" Elizabeth asked on finding Ruby distraught over not knowing what day it was or how time worked here.

Ruby had not told Elizabeth about her ability to turn into a wolf yet. She did not want to overwhelm Elizabeth, but Ruby thought she should know now.

Elizabeth was dumbfounded after Ruby told her everything. She sat silently for several minutes before asking to be left alone. Ruby was a little hurt by Elizabeth's reaction, even though she knew her secret was a shock for some. Elizabeth sat alone for the rest of the day.

The next morning, Elizabeth found Ruby picking fruit from a tree. "I studied the sky last night. You have about twelve days before you can turn into a wolf," Elizabeth told her.

Elizabeth apologized for her reaction towards Ruby's ability. In her world, everyone was "normal." No one seemed to have any magical powers or abilities. The closest thing to magic was science. Victor stunned the community by bringing his brother back to life. Some people didn't believe it happened, but Elizabeth knew Victor. She believed he had done it, and it terrified her. How could creating life from death not change everything? Then, she went to sleep years. When she woke up, her life continued to change in ways she did not foresee such as traveling to a land of color and becoming friends with a werewolf.

She missed Victor too. She and Victor's relationship had ended long before the curse had started, but she still longed for him after their separation. She missed the way his blue eyes lit up when he was successful with an experiment. The way he was nervous in company but could still dance with ease. He had a nice singing voice and would sometimes sing to the plants to help them grow. She just wished he had loved her as much as he loved his work.

Their reunion and separation made her realize she still cared for him. He was the only man she had ever loved. It was difficult to move on when one had been asleep for twenty-eight years. Now, she was some crazy king's concubine.

"One of your strengths is communicating well. Thank you for letting me know. I bet Whale misses you more than you think," Ruby told her. She knew it was hard for Elizabeth to grasp everything that had happened to her. Ruby lived in a land without magic for so long that getting her memories back was a little unnerving…and disheartening.

As the week wore on, the two women were determined to make the best of their situation, while being aware for any means of escape. The women in the harem watched Ruby and Elizabeth in fascination but kept their distance. The two women had a close, sisterly bond, which confused the other women. Neither Ruby nor Elizabeth wanted to be queen, so they did not treat the other women or each other as competition. Over the course of the week, the women slowly tried reaching out to the other women. Both for potential allies and because they wanted to help these women. Both had a feeling the king was not going to make any woman from the harem the queen. They were all merely lovers, mistresses, sex slaves, or whatever these women labeled themselves. After all, most kings formed alliances through marriages with other kingdoms.

Amara and the mysterious Asian woman were slowly opening to their friendliness. Amara stayed professional and the Asian woman remained solemnly quiet, but they interacted with the two women. Elizabeth gave science lectures in the morning, including one about genetics. During these lectures, Ruby would wander around studying the area for potential escapes. She could do very little as a human but could make some leaps as a wolf. A week after their arrival, Ruby still had six days until her wolf time. Each day passed by agonizingly slow.

Harun came to the harem three times a week. He would casually stroll around the harem, watching the ladies but never talking to them. Amara was the only one who spoke to him for business purposes like what supplies were needed. Ruby noticed he observed her and Elizabeth often though.

A week after their arrival, Harun approached Ruby. He put his hands together and bowed. His dark eyes met Ruby's green ones and held them in a gaze. He put a finger to his lips indicating to be quiet.

He pulled a piece of gingham cloth out from under a large gold, jeweled bracelet clasped on his left wrist. He held it up for Ruby to see before hiding it again. He smiled before bowing again and walking away.

For the first time since being in the harem, Ruby felt a heart bursting joy. Dorothy and presumably Mulan had come to help them. She teared up at the thought of her and Elizabeth not being completely alone or forgotten in this place. Elizabeth was thrilled too.

"They can help us! And this also means we have an ally in Harun! He can possibly get a message to them," Elizabeth said with energetic joy.

When Harun returned, Ruby met him in a more isolated part of the Harem. She bowed as he did earlier but also spoke to him; "Are you not allowed to talk to us?"

He only gave her a small smile.

"Is the king afraid you'll seduce us or something?" Ruby playfully teased. Thankfully, Harun chuckled at her boldness.

"Perhaps he's worried someone will seduce me," he teased back.

"I don't want to get you in trouble, but if you see my friends, tell them it's six days until the next full moon," she said, before walking away.

"Often the bewitching time," Harun said. Ruby turned around to look at him. His meekness had somehow dissolved into confidence.

"What is going on here?" Ruby asked him.

"A tragedy."

"Are we key players in this tragedy?"

"Perhaps, but your friends have possibly changed the outcome. They cleverly broke into the temple by setting off fireworks as a distraction. I also get the feeling there is something more to you than meets the eye, and it gives me hope for these women."

"My friends and I are not the damsel in distress types. And I was wondering about the noise I heard the other night."

"They have given me the courage I should never have lost. I already have too much blood on my hands," Harun sadly stated. The statement unnerved Ruby.

Harun's last statement continued to haunt Ruby. There was a growing sense of urgency. It was not just the harem she worried about but the entire kingdom. Something had gone terribly wrong, and it was probably all due to the king. Perhaps Harun had gotten too powerful? Maybe he tried to be the buffer between the kingdom and the king by making decisions? The king then viewed Harun as a threat to his power and demoted him from being an adviser. This was all speculation though.

The next day was a rare overcast day with a light mist. Instead of staying inside, the woman went outside to enjoy the slightly cooler weather and misting rain. At dusk every day, a servant came to get the woman next on the list to be brought to the king. Despite knowing the order, the woman gathered in a group, while the servant read the name. The woman called was taken to the beautification chamber before being brought to the king for the evening. The crowd waited to watch her leave in her pageantry. Only the women never returned to the harem. It was assumed by some they were returned where they came from. Others thought they were made servants or given as wives to the guards.

On this particular dreary evening, Harun himself came to get the woman. He took the ordering list off the door.

"Astrid, the king would like to see you tonight," Harun called out to the gathered women. This break in the ordering caused a stir. Astrid walked proudly to the beautification room wearing her usual smirk. Giving the other women a triumphant glare.

"She's not the next woman on the list," a woman stated indignantly.

"Maybe our turn will be sooner!" a new arrival told another new member.

Amara looked hurt.

"Breaking order so he can see his favorite can only mean one thing. He's found his new queen," the Asian woman said. It was the first time they had heard her speak.

"Do you believe she'll be the new queen?" Ruby asked.

"Why else would the king break the order?" Amara questioned.

"If he finds his queen, then he'll let us go!" a woman hopefully exclaimed. Elizabeth's optimism had eroded some. She highly doubted the king would let them go, even after being married. People could have both spouses and lovers, especially when you were a king.

The rest of the evening was spent talking about the random selection. Astrid was clearly a favorite because of her exotic looks. The king must have decided to do away with the order, so he could be with Astrid sooner. The women wondered what was going to happen next.

Most of the woman slept in the next day after having stayed up late into the night discussing the recent change. Ruby was used to waking up with the dawn though. Living with granny had turned her into a morning person, even if her cursed persona was a night person. She stretched as she walked out on the balcony. She leaned over the railings enjoying the quiet stillness of the morning. Everything was cast in a soft pastel light. It seemed almost peaceful.

She ducked when she realized Harun was talking to Amara near the door to the harem. Amara wore a veil completely covering her head. Both talked in hushed whispers, yet there was a desperation to their tones. Harun looked very grave.

When the conversation ended, Amara walked quickly to the tower. Ruby left the sleeping area and followed Amara to the turret on top of the tower. Amara sat with her head in her lap, sobbing. The veil still over her head. Ruby had never seen Amara so vulnerable. Amara was always stoic and professional.

Amara jolted up when Ruby made her presence known. "You have to tell me what happened. If it relates to the harem, I have a right to know," Ruby demanded. Amara pulled the veil back to reveal swollen eyes and a puffy face from crying.

Amara held out her hand and pulled Ruby to her. "I have been denying my greatest fears only to have them confirmed last night," she told Ruby, her voice shaking with fear.

"Last night, I could not sleep, so I sat on the balcony. At the earliest sign of dawn when everything was still blue, I saw a guard walking along the palace corridor. Ruby, he was holding Astrid's head. Her blue eyes looking lifelessly out into the void…" Amara stopped talking to compose herself.

It was enough for Ruby. The king wasn't letting them go after requesting them. The king was killing them. Harun's riddled statement was clear now.

"I demanded to speak to Harun. I confronted him about what I saw. He confirmed her death and the death of all the others before her. The king is now going to kill us at random. We are just caged animals waiting to be slaughtered," Amara finished, tears streaming down her face.

(Reviews are welcomed. It helps to know one's not writing into the void.)


	11. Chapter 11

Ch. 11

I do not own _Once Upon a Time_ or any its characters. I do not own any of the other stories or their characters.

Author's note: To anyone still reading this story, I apologize for the delay. When I started, I was not expecting to return to school. Now, I am working full time and back in school. I should have the bulk of my classes done by late spring though.

The killing of the harem women was exactly what Ruby and Elizabeth feared was happening. Amara only confirmed their suspicions.

"Did you honestly not realize he was killing everyone here?" Ruby asked Amara. She couldn't fathom everyone in here was actually that naïve.

"Of course I suspected," Amara told her, "But when you are the one in the cage, you hold onto the sliver of hope the truth is wrong. Many of these women are young, uneducated, and from foreign lands too." Ruby couldn't fault them for hoping or for inexperience.

Amara asked to be left alone. She needed time to fully process what she long feared. She finally had to come to terms with reality. Both women decided not to tell anyone other than Elizabeth about what was really happening. There was a new sense of despair. Looking back, Ruby always seemed to be able to wolf out during a time of need. The moon always seemed to be on her side. Now, the next full moon was still several days of away. Instead of brute force, she had to use her brains to formulate a plan. She hesitated to tell Elizabeth but also knew Elizabeth could help her create an actual plan.

Elizabeth took the news calmer than Ruby thought she would. She didn't cry or become angry. She stayed sitting under a fruit tree. She began looking around before getting up and touching various plants.

"I knew this was happening and came to accept it. Not death, mind you, but deciding to fight back. I have experienced enough now to not be frightened or overwhelmed anymore," she explained to Ruby. Ruby was impressed by her calm, determined demeanor. She guessed this was the part of Elizabeth who aided in Victor's science.

Elizabeth continued, "I have been studying these plants and trees." She suddenly stopped and spun around to face Ruby. "I think I know enough about these plants to combine some of them, which would create a poisonous concoction," she said almost excitedly. The plants here were similar to the ones from both their worlds. Plants and animals species seemingly transcended worlds and could be found throughout the realms. It was amazing to Elizabeth. Elizabeth explained that she did not want to create mass murder, but she could poison the guards as well as the servants who delivered goods. She would put them sleep, then the women could make their escape from the harem. Ruby and Elizabeth were willing to engage the king in a fight if necessary.

However, Elizabeth did not know what amount was needed to just put them to sleep and not kill them. Ruby's face fell in disappointment. Elizabeth assured her she had an idea though. In her world, people used opium to help them sleep. Although Elizabeth and Victor realized the danger in the draught, it was common knowledge on how much to use for its intended purposes. There were poppies growing in a section along the wall. She could grind them into powder and mix them with another plant also known for its lethargic affect.

"How will we get the guards to take the powder?" Ruby wanted to know.

"We have Harun on our side. I give him the powder, and he puts them in the wine or ale the guards drink. Or we seduce them into drinking wine with us. The servants bring wine to us in a vat. I can make enough to put in the vat, then we can do our best to convince the servants and guards into sharing some with us. We won't drink any though."

Ruby thought Elizabeth's plan was just crazy enough to work. It was all they had at this point.

"I hope you two are devising a plan?" Both women jumped and turned to see the Asian woman standing next to them.

"You two seem the only ones unwilling to accept your fate. I too do not want to accept this as my destiny. Not when I know what's been happening. News of the king's madness reached my kingdom," she told them. Her name was Jun. She was the illegitimate daughter of an emperor and one of his lower ranked concubines. She proved to be one of the more intelligent, sensible of the emperor's many children. She became one of her father's favorite. Upon realizing his legitimate children were incompetent, he arranged for her to marry one of his favorite generals in place of one of her legitimate sisters. The emperor and empress had recently heard of a mad king's behavior in a far away kingdom. The empress saw this as an opportunity to remove Jun from the household. Viewing Jun as a threat to her own children, the empress sold her to traders. The empress specifically requested Jun be brought to the mad king.

Jun admitted to Ruby and Elizabeth she did not have any idea on how to escape. She knew how to fight but would not win as a lone fighter against an army of guards. She would be willing to fight if others would aid her. Elizabeth was glad to have another ally but was still hesitant to tell Jun her plan. Jun just now spoke to them. What if she was a spy planted to weed out insubordinate women? The king must have been smart enough to know not all the women he brought to the harem would stay there without a fight. Elizabeth told Jun as much. Jun said she understood but told them if they needed anything, she would be there to help.

As the three woman talked, Harun brought a new woman to the harem. Amara was still in the tower and did not welcome her. The other women sized her up but did not engage with her. It was noted by all the woman wore the most revealing outfit the women had seen yet. Her dark hair had a golden sheen to it. Amber eyes stood out in contrast to her dark, oiled skin.

She soon disappeared into the beautification chamber with an eunuch. Ruby pondered her presence for a few minutes before Elizabeth asked her to count the poppies with her. Ruby noticed the newcomer certainly had an air of confidence.

Ruby recalled that one of her and Dorothy's first moments were in a field of poppies. They were her first flowers from Dorothy. There was an air of awkwardness about Dorothy that night, but Ruby sensed she was a genuinely sweet person underneath a defensive persona. Her heart ached to see her loving girlfriend's face again.

Ruby stopped Elizabeth from observing the poppies as the newcomer approached them. The newcomer wore Grecian tunics similar to the ones the two women wore. Ruby requested a deep red one, while Elizabeth wore a blue one that somehow made her hair color seem brighter.

"Are you Ruby and Elizabeth?" the newcomer asked. They remained silent. Ruby narrowed her eyes trying to guess a motive for her questioning. Jun joined the two women in case they needed backup.

The new woman continued, "I heard Elizabeth has beautiful red hair, and Ruby would have large, emerald eyes."

"Who told you all this?"

"My name is Scheherazade, but people call me Hera. I am Harun's niece," she explained. She noticed this got the three women's attention.

"A beautiful as you are, how did you not get put in here sooner?" Jun demanded to know. The king didn't exactly seem to make exceptions.

"My uncle started to sense what was going on, so he hid me. I begged him to let me help. I cannot sit by and not do anything as my kingdom falls apart. It is not just the harem where there is danger, but the kingdom is living in fear too. Harun recently told me there was a group of people in the city, including two women in the harem, who resorted his hope. He senses you need time though. I was finally able to convince him to let me go to the harem because I know a way to delay the king from executing more women and allow you to develop a plan," Scheherazade explained in a low tone.

The three women leaned in to hear her plan in anticipation.

"I will tell the king a story. Each night, I will leave the story unfinished. He will have to keep me alive and bring me back to his room in order to hear the rest of the story. This will give you time to develop a plan. I know countless stories. Hundreds…thousands of them." she said with hope in her voice. It was an odd sort of confidence.

"That's it? That's the stupidest thing I've heard!" Jun scoffed in disappointment.

"Wait, wait," Ruby quickly stepped in to defend the idea. It was a risky idea, yet it was clever. Since the beginning of time, people probably had a love hate relationship with anticipation. Stories, books, movies, television all used cliffhangers to keep people wanting more. Victor told her famous authors used to post a chapter of their stories in newspapers; a "serial" he called it. Each week, people read the newest chapter to see what would happen next.

If Scheherazade's plan did work, it would give Ruby enough time until the next full moon. Elizabeth was worried about the plan being too risky and would get Scheherazade killed.

"As a boy, the king always enjoyed my wild stories," Scheherazade said.

"You knew the king as a child?" This was important information.

"Yes, we were childhood friends. When he was on the verge of being a young man, his mother and him went to visit her father in the southern kingdom and never returned. It seems Shahryar has inherited his father's madness."

Another note: I know this chapter may have seemed like filler, but it moves the plot forward. Things are set in place for the story's climax, and questions on pairings and mysterious characters will be answered. For anyone wondering who the person Mulan spotted at the wall is, there is a clue in this chapter.


End file.
